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(MAY 1) The Theatre at the River Rock
Resort and Casino in Richmond BC played host to the folks from ESPN2
for Wednesday Night Fights to close out the month of April. The
capacity crowd cheered through the last fight of the night, the
women’s junior featherweight bout featuring local favorite Noriko
Kariya as she faced Jessica Mohs.
Kariya used her quickness and a pumping jab to control the first
round of the fight. Though Mohs tried to throw back, she was often
too late to land, and too slow to move out of the way. Kariya
frustrated Mohs with continual movement as she moved around the ring
and jumped in to throw punches, then stepped back before Mohs could
load up.
The second was a better round for Mohs because she began to cut off
the ring, limiting Kariya’s movement. Mohs did her most effective
work at the end of the round when she was able to pin Kariya on the
ropes. While there, Mohs threw some pretty big right hands, and
though they came wide, Kariya could not avoid them.
The overhand right which proved effective in the second round became
Mohs’ weapon of choice in the third. Though Kariya had the advantage
in quickness, she still found herself on the receiving end of Mohs’
right hand. Mohs was able to gain that advantage as she walked
straight toward Kariya and again backed her in to the ropes. The
round ended with the two women throwing at each other frantically,
and one or two may have landed after the bell.
Kariya regained control in the fifth round, partially because Mohs
was looking too tired to mount another assault. Kariya also figured
out that when Mohs did throw at her, the punches were coming from
the outside, so she shortened the distance between the two and threw
her own right hand straight up the middle. That was a punch that
probably could have scored early in the fight, but finding it in the
fifth allowed Kariya to walk away with the win.
Judges scored the fight 50-45, 49-46, and 48-47. Kariya moves to
9-2-1 with 2ko, while Mohs drops to 7-17-2 with 2ko.
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